Signal-bell.



L. 0. SMITH.

SIGNAL BELL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3,1917.

Patented Au 7, 1917.

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LEO 0. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COLUMBIA MACHINE WORKS AND MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNAL-BELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '7, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO 0. SMITH, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Signal-Bells, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to a signal bell particularly adapted for use in railway cars including cars usually in service on elevated and subways as well as surface lines, including street cars. Heretofore so far as I am aware, the signal bells commonly employed in railway cars have been so constructed and placed in position that in making repairs it is necessary to gain access to the working parts of the bell to remove the same from its position in the car. These bells are commonly mounted in the roof of the car over the usual end platform, and as will be obvious, the complete removal of the bell not only consumes considerable time, but also makes it necessary to place the bell in a new position in replacing it in the car after the repairs have been made, due of course to the light material of which the roof of the car is made, and to which the bell is attached, resulting as will be understood in unsightly screw holes.

The object of my present invention is to overcome these diificulties and inconveniences by providing a bell all parts of which are accessible and may be replaced or repaired without removing the bell from its position in the car, thereby saving considerable time in making repairs and also obviating the necessity of disfiguring the roof of the car by unnecessary screw holes. In carrying out this invention I employ a base, a stand extending therefrom and to which the bell or gong proper is suitably connected together with a clapper mounted in the stand exteriorly thereof and of the bell, together with means for normally maintaining the clapper in an inoperative position, and de vices for limiting the movement of the clapper to determine both its inoperative position and the extent to which it may be moved when in use, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation and partial cross section illustrating a signal bell made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2, 2 Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section illustrating a modified form of the inven- Referring to the drawing it will be seen that in carrying out this invention I employ a base 10, fitted with holes 11 by means of which the base and the parts carried thereby maybe secured in position by screws or bolts passlng into or through the support to which the signal bell is to be attached. Ex tending from the base 10 is a bell stand 12. As shown in the drawing, this is preferably made integral with the base and is substantially semi-circular in cross section and made in the form of an arch, although as it is understood, the invention is not limited to this configuration of the stand in either respect.

I also employ a bell or gong indicated at 13. This may be secured to the base by a bolt 14 and a nut 15 in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the opening in the bell extending from the base, or as shown in Fig. 3, in the reversed position with the opening in the bell extending toward the base. In the position shown in Fig. l, the head of the bolt preferably lies within the stand, while the nut assumes a position within the bell, whereas in Fig. 8, the reversed condition maintains, the head of the bolt lying outside of the bell while the nut assumes a. position within the stand. Also as indicated in the drawing, this bolt 14 may be square in cross section, and the bolt holes in the stand and bell made to receive the bolt in order to prevent the bell from turning on the stand. It will also be understood that instead of being square in cross section the bolt may be hexagonal or otherwise, and that by this construction the bell may be set in different positions to bring a new striking surface into play as may be necessary or desired.

In a suitable position extending from the stand 12, I provided a bracket indicated at 16. This preferably consists of spaced arms made integral with the walls of the stand. These bracket arms are provided with openings adapted to receive bushings 17 in which a pin 18 is journaled, the pin 18 being provi ed with a head at one end and with an opening to receive a cotter pin 19 at the opposite end. Between bushings in the arms of the bracket and pivotally mounted on the pin 18, I employ a clapper 20. At one end this clapper may be provided with a ball or head 21 adapted to strike the bell and at its opposite end is provided with a hole 22 through which a rope or bell cord 23 employed to actuate the bell is passed and secured. At one end of the clapper the same is also provided with a lug 2A in which there is an eye 25.

In order to maintain the clapper in an initially inoperative position and to return the same to this position, Iemploy a spring 26 which is shown asa helical spring provided with hook ends although as will be understood any other suitable form of spring may be employed. One end of this spring 26 engages with the eye 25 and the spring is passed through an opening provided therefor in the adjacent wall of the stand 12 with the opposite end of the spring engaged with a hook 28 suitably secured in the opposite Wall of the stand 12.

At the outer ends of the walls forming the bracket 16, I preferably provide transverse walls 29 and 30, the same being illustrated as integral with the bracket although of course, the invention is not so limited. The end of the wall 29 acts as a stop and rest for the clapper 20, maintaining the same in its initially inoperative position against the action of the spring 26 as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, whereas the end of the wall 80 acts as a stop to determine the extent of the movement which may be given to the clapper 20 by pulling the bell cord as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it being understood that there is sufficient resiliency in the clapper bar 20 to permit the ball end 21 thereof to strike the bell or gong after the opposite end of the clapper comes into contact with the end of the Wall 30.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the signal bell hereinbefore described may be repaired by replacing any of the parts thereof, either the bell or the gong, the clapper, the spring, the bushings or the pivot pin, without removing the base and stand from the position in which the same is originally fixed in the car, and furthermore as hereinbefore stated, the bell itself may be turned to diiferent positions to bring new surfaces opposite the ball end of the clapper to be struck thereby. By

the use of this .invention much time will be saved in making repairs to cars in which this signal bell is employed inasmuch as the repairs maybe made Without taking or sending the car to the shops, and also unnecessary and unsightly screw holes in the walls of the car will be obviated.

I claim as my invention:

1. A signal bell for railway cars comprising a base, a stand extending therefrom, a bell connected to the said stand, a bracket extending laterally from the said stand, a clapper pivotally mounted in the said bracket, {the bracket being so constructed as to act both as a stop for determining the return movement of the clapper to an initial position and the forwardmovement of the clapper in being actuated to strike the bell, and means for maintaining the clapper in its initial position and returning the same thereto.

2. A signal bell for railway cars comprising a base, a stand extending therefrom, a bell connected to the said stand, a bracket extending laterally from the said stand, a clapper pivotally mounted in the said bracket, the bracket being so constructed .as to act both as a stop for determining the return movement of the clapper to-an initial position and the forward movement of the clapper in being actuated to strike the bell, and a spring connected at one end to the said clapper extending through an aperture provided therefor in the said stand adjacent the said bracket and connected at its opposite end to the other side of the stand.

3. A signal bell for railway cars, comprising a base, an arch shaped stand extending therefrom, a bell, means for connecting the bell to the stand,'a bracket extending outwardly from the said stand and including spaced parallel Walls connected at the ends thereof by a transverse angular wall, a clapper pivotally mounted in the said bracket, and a spring for normally maintaining the clapper, against the end'of one portion of the said angular wall in the bracket for returning the same thereto, the end of the other wall of the bracket acting as a stop to determine the extent to which the clapper may be moved.

Sgned by me this 10th day of February, 191

LEO 0. SMITH.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1L0. 

